Method of installing pipelines with minimal removal of soil

ABSTRACT

A method of installing pipelines with minimal removal of soil. A first step involves loosening a ground surface repeatedly inserting and withdrawing a vibrating spade. A second step involves inserting a compactor into the loosened ground surface and compacting the soil to form a narrow open ditch, with minimal removal of soil A third step involves laying pipe in the narrow open ditch.. A fourth step involves closing in the open ditch by collapsing the walls of the ditch.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of installing pipelines inenvironmentally sensitive areas, with minimal removal of soil.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current method of installing pipelines require a right of wayapproximately 15 meters (45 feet) wide. This right of way is firststripped of vegetation. A ditch 38 inches wide and six feet deep is thencreated. Soil removed to form the ditch creates a huge spill pile, whichis positioned on one side of the ditch. In view of the size of right ofway required, this method of installing pipelines invariably causes somedamage to environmentally sensitive areas, such as farmlands, forest,and wetlands. However, there is always a danger of even greater damagebeing caused. Further damage is caused when a mixing of soils taken fromdifferent depths of the ditch occurs. Further damage is caused when notall of the spill pile can be placed back into the ditch, causingblockages to natural drainage. Further damage is caused when a settlingoccurs of soils used to fill in the ditch. As this results in a lineardepression that alters natural drainage courses to follow the ditch,leading to erosion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a method ofinstalling pipelines with minimal removal of soil. A first step involvesloosening a ground surface by repeatedly inserting and withdrawing avibrating spade. A second step involves inserting a compactor into theloosened ground surface and compacting the soil to form a narrow openditch, with minimum removal of soil. A third step involves laying pipein the narrow open ditch. A fourth step involves closing in the openditch by collapsing the walls of the ditch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the invention will become more apparent fromthe following description in which reference is made to the appendeddrawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and arenot intended to in any way limit the scope of the invention to theparticular embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view in section of a spade loosening a groundsurface.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a spade used in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a compactor forming a narrow openditch.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the compactor used in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the compactor used in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the compactor used in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pipe being laid into a ditch using apipe applicator.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the pipe applicator of FIG. 7 being movedby an excavator.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of a back filling implement filling aditch.

FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of a back filling implement filling aditch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred method of installing pipelines with minimal removal ofsoil will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 through 10.

Referring to FIG. 1, a first step of the method involves loosening aground surface 12, consisting of soil 14, by repeatedly inserting andwithdrawing a vibrating spade 16. The structure of one form of vibratingspade suitable for use in achieving the loosening of the soil 14 isillustrated. Vibrating spade 16 has support 18 and blade 20, which is atan angle in relation to support 18. Blade 20 is approximately seven feetin length. Referring to FIG. 2, blade 20 has a top portion 22 andconverges toward a tip 24. Tip 24 is equipped with a replaceable tooth26. Stiffener bars 28 are provided to give support and rigidity to blade20. A vibrator 30 is attached to support 18 for blade 20. Blade 20operating with vibrator 30 serves to loosen ground surface 12, andlocate large rocks, so that they can be removed, so as to avoidpotential damage to pipe.

Referring to FIG. 3, a second step involves inserting a compactor 32into loosened ground surface 12 and compacting soil 14 to form a narrowopen ditch 34 adapted to receive a pipe applicator (see pipe applicator48 illustrated in FIG. 8). It is to be noted that minimum soil andpreferably no soil is removed. Referring to FIG. 4 through 6, there isillustrated one form of compactor suitable for use in compacting soil 14to form narrow open ditch 34. The compactor illustrated is a vibratingcompactor. Although a vibrating compactor is preferred, other forms ofcompactor could be used. Referring to FIG. 4, compactor 32 has a wedgeshaped body 36 that converges downward from a relatively thick topportion 38 to a lower tip 40. A pipe-shaped cutting tool 39 may beincluded just above lower tip 40 to shape the bottom of the ditch toreceive a pipe. Referring to FIG. 5, body 36 has a height ofapproximately 6 feet, so it is adapted to form a ditch six feet deep.Referring to FIG. 5 and 6, its length is longer than its depth. Body 36has a leading edge 42, like a prow of a ship to facilitate movementthrough loosened ground surface 12 to form narrow open ditch 34. Amachine is used to control and move compactor 32, but it is vibrator 44that assists in reducing resistance by soil 14 to movement of body 36.After forming by compactor 32, narrow open ditch 34 has a top 35 and abottom 37 and is wedge shaped; being wider at top 35 than at bottom 37.After compactor 32 has passed, small rocks have been pushed out of theway during formation of narrow open ditch 34.

Referring to FIG. 7, a third step involves laying pipe 46 in narrow openditch 34. The preferred manner of laying pipe 46 involves the use of apipe applicator 48. Pipe applicator 48 has an elongate body 50 with aleading end 52 and a trailing end 54. Body 50 is wedge shaped having arelative thick top 56 that converges to a relatively narrow bottom 58. Adownward force 59 may be applied to top 56 to keep pipe applicator 48 inposition. A pipe travel channel 60 is provided, with guide rollers 62,which serve to guide pipe 46 along channel 60. Pipe 46 enters body 50 atleading end 52 adjacent to top 56 and exits channel 60 from trailing end54 adjacent to bottom 58. Stabilizer pads 64 extend laterally outwardlyfrom body 50 near trailing end 54. Stabilizer pads 64 are intended torest upon ground surface 12 on either side of narrow open ditch 34 andsupport pipe applicator 48. Stabilizer pads 64 support body 50 so thatapproximately 18 inches rides above narrow open ditch 34 andapproximately five feet of body 50 extends down into narrow open ditch34. Referring to FIG. 8, movement of pipe applicator 48 along narrowopen ditch 34 is accomplished through the use of an excavator 66.

Referring to FIG. 9, a fourth step involves closing in narrow open ditch34 by collapsing walls 68 of narrow open ditch 34. The step ofcollapsing walls 68 of narrow open ditch 34 is, preferably, accomplishedby a back filling implement, generally indicated by reference numeral70. Back filling implement 70 is associated with pipe applicator 48. Itmay be formed as part of trailing end 54 of pipe applicator 48, or itmay be made as a completely separate implement that follows pipeapplicator 48. In any event, back filling implement 70 is adapted tofollow pipe applicator 48 and cover with soil 14, pipe 46 laid by pipeapplicator 48. Pipe applicator 48 has a rearward projecting shroud 72that overlies pipe 46 to protect pipe 46 from soil 14 dislodged by backfilling implement 70. Back filling implement 70 can take various forms.Referring to FIG. 10, there is illustrated one form of back fillingimplement 70 suitable for use with this method. Back filling implement70 has outwardly protruding wings 74. Wings 74 are adapted to cut intosides 68 of narrow open ditch 34 and move a covering layer 76 of soil 14from sides 68 adjacent to bottom 37 of narrow open ditch 34 onto shroud72. Covering layer 76 of soil 14 slides from shroud 72 onto pipe 46 aspipe applicator 48 advances along narrow open ditch 34. It is consideredto be undesirable to have soil fall directly upon pipe 46, as it coulddamage the protective coating of pipe 46. The illustrated embodiment ofback filling implement 70 has wings 74 at more than one level. Thesecond set of wings, labelled 78, at a slightly higher level. Wings 78follow behind wings 74, so as not to intermix the soil from the variouslevels. Referring again to FIG. 9, back filling implement 70 also hastrailing disks 80 positioned even with the top 35 of narrow open ditch34. Disks 80 serve to collapse soil 14 from sides 68 of narrow openditch 34 adjacent top 35. Soil 14 dislodged by disks 80 falls ontocovering layer 76 of soil 14 dislodged by prior action of protrudingwings 74 and 78. One does not want soil 14 from sides 68 of narrow openditch 34 falling directly upon pipe 46.

The method, as described above, provides the following advantages overthe current method of installing a pipeline:

the width of the right of way is reduced;

the removal and disposal of existing vegetation from the right of way isreduced, due to the reduced width of the right of way;

installation can be performed all year round, whereas the current methodcan only be performed in wetlands when the ground is frozen;

loosening of the ground surface using the vibrating spade drasticallyreduces the horsepower required, as compared to caterpillar tractorswith rippers currently employed;

spill piles are reduced to less than 10% of the current method, if noteliminated entirely;

problems with excess soil or soil depressions along the ditch arereduced, if not eliminated entirely;

mixing of soils is avoided;

potential damage to pipe during back-filling of the ditch is reduced, ifnot eliminated altogether;

soil disturbance is substantially reduced;

the cost of clean up and restoration is reduced due to the reduction insoil disturbance.

In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in itsnon-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included,but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to anelement by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibilitythat more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearlyrequires that there be one and only one of the elements.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may bemade to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the Claims.

1. A method of installing pipelines with minimal removal of soil,comprising the steps of: loosening a ground surface by repeatedlyinserting and withdrawing a vibrating spade; inserting a compactor intothe loosened ground surface and compacting the soil to form a narrowopen ditch, with minimal soil being removed during formation of thenarrow open ditch; laying pipe in the narrow open ditch; and closing inthe narrow open ditch by collapsing the walls of the ditch.
 2. Themethod as defined in claim 1, the open ditch being adapted to receive apipe applicator and the pipe being laid into the open ditch using thepipe applicator.
 3. The method as defined in claim 1, the compactorbeing a vibrating compactor.
 4. The method as defined in claim 1, thenarrow open ditch having a top and a bottom, the narrow open ditch beingwider at the top than at the bottom.
 5. The method as defined in claim2, the step of collapsing the walls of the ditch being accomplished by aback filling implement associated with the pipe applicator, the backfilling implement being adapted to follow the pipe applicator and coverwith soil a pipe laid by the pipe applicator, the pipe applicator havinga rearward projecting shroud that overlies the pipe to protect the pipefrom soil dislodged by the back filling implement.
 6. The method asdefined in claim 5, the back filling implement having outwardlyprotruding wings which are adapted to cut into sides of the ditch andmove a covering layer of soil from the sides adjacent the bottom of theditch onto the shroud, the covering layer of soil sliding from theshroud onto the pipe as the pipe applicator advances along the ditch. 7.The method as defined in claim 6, the back filling implement havingwings at more than one level.
 8. The method as defined in claim 6, theback filling implement having trailing disks positioned at the height ofthe top of the ditch, that collapse soil from the top sides of the ditchonto the covering layer of soil dislodged by prior action of theprotruding wings.